In a communication system, a base station may use time division access on a forward link transmission to a number of mobile stations in a code division multiple access communication system. Each mobile station is scheduled to receive a transmission during a time slot based on the forward link channel condition. The forward and reverse links channel conditions may change from time to time due to many different factors including mobility of the mobile stations. As a result, the channel condition between the base station and the mobile stations is also changing, creating a more favorable channel condition for a mobile station than another. The base station schedules the mobile stations reverse link transmissions. On the forward link, the base station needs to inform a mobile station when the mobile station is expected to transmit on a reverse link channel, such as a reverse link supplemental channel. The reverse link scheduling is based on many factors including the number of mobile stations that may transmit on the reverse link at the same time. The time between deciding the scheduling of a reverse link transmission for a mobile station and informing the mobile station on the forward link is desired to be as short as possible. The reverse link channel condition may change, for example, for a mobile station that is scheduled for transmission but not informed very quickly. When the scheduling information is received by the mobile station, the channel condition for the reverse link transmission for the mobile station may have deteriorated, thus leading to inefficient use of communication resources. The reverse link scheduling information, however, is transmitted on the forward link. The transmission on the forward link to a mobile station is based on the forward link channel condition with the mobile station. The mobile station may not have a good forward link channel condition; as a result, the mobile station may not receive a transmission on the forward link for some time. Therefore, there is a need for a method and apparatus for scheduling communications of data in a communication system.